The 7th place itch

Just about on my way back home to NZ after such a great time in Perth. Competed in the Busso Ironman 70.3 race on Saturday, one of my favs on the circuit, and although 7th doesn’t look so great on paper, it was a very satisfying race. I arrived the week before the race because my parents live in Perth and it coincides with my Mum’s birthday, so always great to celebrate it together. I have also come to WA quite a bit over the last few years and there is such a great tri community here, it is so easy to slot into training routine, and more importantly great coffee chats. Thanks to Helen, Johan, Dale, and Heather for joining me on some of my sessions and showing me some new coffee haunts, even taking me into the shark net for my first ocean swim in Perth! Busso is such a great place and hosts an amazing race, thanks to Ashleigh from tri WA for being one of the best event organisers. I also love that I get to talk at the local schools while I’m here and field some pretty interesting questions from the kids! Race day dawned a very chilly one, think it was about 7deg?! I tried to do the kiwi’s proud by being pretty staunch about the temperature, but when I had icicles on my hands during the bike leg I realised that it was VERY COLD! The swim was AWESOME, the water was so clear and not a shark fin in sight, bonus! I came out leading a group of 4 and knew we were in for a chase to the leaders who were about 2-3mins up out of the water. Unfortunately my transition was a shocker! My feet were so cold that I couldn’t feel them to put in my shoes, Dale rated my transition about a 2/10! By the time I got them in I had lost the front pack and spent the next 30km trying to catch them. Once I did catch them I decided to keep to my race plan of just racing as hard as I possible could, strategically it would probably have been better to take some turns at the back, but I like being out the front and not having to worry about draft distances etc. I came into and out of T2 in 3rd place, but advice from the coach was to run ridiculously slow for the first lap. I have been rehabbing back from a stress reaction in my femur and having not run longer than 1hr continuous, it was a bit of a gamble as to what form I was in. Surprisingly though I felt better each lap, had a great battle with Renee Baker when she passed, stuck with her, then ended up dropping her at some point (looking forward to the next tussle Renee!). Two girls running behind me, Katy Duffield and Kate Pedley, were storming it in the last lap and I knew that they were probably going to pass me before the line, which they did. I am pretty stoked though that I managed a sub 90min run off predominantly aqua jogging and elipticalling, gives hope that with some more training and no more injuries I’ll be in a good place come Cairns and Sunshine. Big thanks to my sponsors Ceepo (that new Viper seriously is FAST!) and Sealord, also to Champion System for my very unique new kit (designed by Alana Lythe), Horleys and their delicious protein, and Adidas for the shoes and sunnies. My mechanic Tom who keeps my bikes in such good condition, and gives me the odd good hit out on the bike when I can keep up! Theresa (EnduroFit Therapy) for weekly massage that keeps this bod in one piece. Finally my coach Steve, we’ve started working together again and it’s a great partnership, 2015 is shaping up to be pretty exciting! Always my family and husband Hayden are at the top of the thank you’s. Till next time…